Part of Being Human
by beccazoe31
Summary: Second in a series of The Host one shots. How will Wanderer's new family cope with her almost leaving them forever?


Part of Being Human

Second in the Wanderer's Human Family Series

_(I don't own The Host or the movie or any of these characters. This fanfic is purely for my own enjoyment and the hopeful enjoyment of anyone who wants to read it.)_

Even for the ragtag survivors of the human race, living in secrecy and relative safety from their Soul conquerors, there were the occasional lazy afternoons.

It was just such a lazy Sunday-about four in the afternoon of this cloudy and relatively cool day in the cavern hideaway. Chores were done for the time being and since Jared and his team-including those present-had just returned from a quick supply raid-good things to eat were for the moment, plentiful. The young couples plus Jamie had decided upon an afternoon picnic in the shady corner of the farm cave. It was difficult to believe that only few weeks had passed since Wanda had been wakened into her new life in Pet's body...only a few weeks more since Melanie and Wanda had shared the one body.

It was still surreal for both the women-to look at one another. Not only to be able to speak, fuss and argue, laugh and tease their boyfriends-but to be able to do it as separate people in separate bodies.

PB and J sandwiches on real white bread with corn chips, cookies, fresh green salads-a real treat-plus lemonade and fruit juice had been on the menu. The final delicacy of the day had been a plate of devilled eggs. These had been fought over with good humor.

Everyone was now post picnic sleepy. Ian and Jared- after having shared some 'bro-time' in the main plaza cave tossing a Frisbee back and forth-were now dozing with light snores as they lay-head to head- on the picnic blanket's east and south edges. Jamie, utterly engrossed in the old science fiction book the raiders had acquired for him, was sitting a bit away from his dual set of foster 'parents' in a pool of faint light from the ceiling.

"Wanda..?"

"Mel..?"

The girls-one in her twenties and the other just a tad over 1123 years old-had been sitting talking quietly since the boys had dozed off. One of their very comfortable periods of silence had just ended as Wanda's former host had been sneaking glances at the very last deviled egg on the platter.

"Wanda-I am about to take that last egg..."

"Ok. Go ahead..."

Melanie looked her friend directly in the eyes. Wanda looked back, serene-filled with affection for her now separate friend. The egg was still untouched when Mel asked, "I have been wondering forever about-"

"What?"

"The eyes..."

"Eyes..?"

"Yeah. Why exactly do they glow like that-when a host has a Soul on board?"

"Oh. We never shared that-when I was inside your head?"

"No sweetie...not that I recall."

"Oh. It's called...if I can say this in human words...neuro-luminescence..."

Melanie raised an eyebrow. Ian rolled over to his side and began to snore in earnest. Wanda tossed a loving smile at him before speaking again: "It is actually _**universal**_ neuro-luminescence. Unless our Healers and scientists have discovered something new since I arrived here-it is accepted that with whatever species of hosts we Souls inhabit...one structure of the sensory organs-whatever they may be-channels our...Mel I can't say it in English..."

"Are you talking about whatever it is that makes your own little bodies glow with that blue-white light?"

"Yes! Well...we make something about our host glow like this." She gestured toward her silver-lit eyes. "Always a sensory organ or structure. With Humans it has always been the eyes."

"Wow. Makes it harder to hide, I guess."

"Yes. One unpopular theory stated it was an evolutionary weakness on our part-a protection for our hosts-help them see us coming and resist."

"Double wow."

Melanie took Wanda's hand into her own. Wanda smiled at the touch and gently gave her fingers a squeeze.

"Wanderer..?"

Wanda was taken aback. "Melanie Stryder. You only call me by my non-Jed-shortened name when you really want something. I already said you can have that last devilled egg."

"It's hard to pussyfoot around with you...we just know each other too well. But yes. It's time we talked about something...and this is the first clear opportunity we've had."

Wanderer looked at the other girl's face and her mouth fell open in surprise. "You're mad at me."

"Damn right I am. And no...I'm not..."

"Both. Angry with me and not angry with me?"

"This was so much easier when we shared a brain! Welcome to being human."

"Alright. Talk to me. What is on your mind that I no longer get to experience firsthand?"

Mel slid even closer to her sister. Their knees were touching. "You remember our last conversation? Our last conversation while you were still in me?"

"Of course. I thought it would be my last conversation ever...so of course I was paying attention."

"Why did you try and do it? When I told you over and over that it was not what I wanted…not what any of us wanted..?"

"Have Doc let my life end after removing me?"

Mel nodded, face solemn. "With eleven hundred years of life experience-you couldn't think of any better solution that suicide?"

The Soul closed her eyes and put her new pretty young face in her hands. She had a feeling that this conversation would happen. After a deep sigh she looked back up at the concerned face she had until recently seen in the mirror. _My sister…_

"A thousand years of non-Human life experience. You remember how unprepared I was for your emotions. From the moment I was awakened inside you—they bombarded me. And you were there- mad as a hungry claw beast at first, in the background…but still there. Mel...I was overwhelmed. And then, suddenly, I loved everyone so much. Jamie and Jared first. You. Jed. Ian. Now I love everyone here in my human family."

"Even Maggie and Sharon? Kyle..?"

"Even them." Wanda began to weep and Melanie's eyes wear tearing as well. "Those stupid poison pills we all carry when we go out on a raid- would anyone hesitate to take one if Seekers were about to take our safe, secret home away from us?"

"I wouldn't..." the Human girl replied with a noticeable shudder.

"Neither would I. Everyone I loved with everything I am was being wounded by my very presence. Jared missed you so much. And you had been fading away…I was so afraid the next time I got upset or angry or with the very next fight we had—I would erase you completely. I…I… would not have survived losing you…"

Tears flowed unchecked down Wanda's cheeks and Melanie gathered the smaller woman in her arms. They held each other a moment, both weeping, saying nothing. Jamie glanced up but said nothing. Ian and Jared's eyelids fluttered open but, they too remained silent.

It had been discussed and agreed; let Mel take the lead on this.

Mel whispered to her sister, "I didn't go anywhere…you didn't lose me and I didn't lose you. Feel my arms around you? I am right here, honey. "

Wanda spoke through her tears into Melanie's ear. It was strangely comforting to communicate intimately again. "You were there…you remember what the whole situation was doing to us. I thought about it until I was so tired I couldn't think any more. I had to tell Doc how to remove Souls safely—do what I could to help people resist and have their bodies and lives back. Once I did that…I KNEW I never wanted to be a parasite ever again… anywhere. Earth is my home..."

Melanie moved her hands to Wanda's face and wiped some of the wetness away with her thumbs. Wanda reached up and did the same with her fingers to the pools of wetness on Mel's face.

"Your very presence saved my life more times than I can count...you have -I don't have the human words either this time. I love you, Wanderer...you are my sister...and despite the bizarre way we met and became family...I wouldn't trade you for anything..."

"Anyone..? Jamie..? Jared..?"

Melanie was silent. Then: "I can't tell you how happy I am that I never had to make that choice."

"I thought I **did** have to make that choice. And I am sorry. And…I am glad that things happened this way."

"Me too."

Jamie had closed his book and came over to sit by Wanda. He plopped down next to her on the blanket and gave her salty cheek a kiss. "Me three…"

"You were eavesdropping?" Melanie chided her brother.

"Doesn't Jeb say these caves have great acoustics? I love you too Wanda. If anything had happened to you…if we had not been able to find Pet's body for you….I dunno…I just don't think I could have gotten over it…"

"I only wanted to give Melanie back to you and to Jared. It was the right thing to do…"

A sound—like a cough from Jared. Then he reached up and tapped Ian on the head. "Girls...huh, man? Even girls from other planets like yours…"

"Yeah…" Ian agreed. "Sharing…hugging…tears…gotta be chick time here."

"Shut the hell up you two," Mel scolded, but with a huge smile of obvious love on her face. The boys sat up and Jared leaned over and kissed Melanie as Ian slid across the blanket to his partner's side. Jamie just laughed and shook his head at the 'adults' in his life.

Wanda piped in with: "And I am—truth be told—from EIGHT other planets, honey." Ian kissed Wanda on her last word and then whispered in her ear. She giggled and blushed scarlet.

Jared, voice still raised in faux male bravado hollered, "Great! A sci-fi CHICK FLICK …our lives are a sci fi chick movie!"

"Hey! Don't diss the science fiction guys…" Jamie shouted, holding up his book.

Jeb came into the cavern with a basket of bed linens in hand. Catching the last few minutes of the exchange between his 'guests' he stated, over the din of their friendly, but loud, banter, "What in blazes goes on in here? Haven't you kids got enough to do? I can always find you lot some more chores…"

"Uncle Jeb—it's our day off!"

"That it is-that it is. Great job on that last raid, Jared. We are flush with good stuff for awhile…like…oh, devilled eggs! One at least. Can I have-"

Immediately four Humans cried out in unison, "No..!" as one alien said, "Sure Jeb…but Melanie…" but she let the sentence fade as she saw Melanie's eyes staring into her own.

Jeb just laughed and shifting his load with a grunt started away as he called back, "Have fun. Back to usual chores tomorrow…Wanda…come find me later when you have a second…"

"Ok Jeb…" After he was gone, Wanda mused, "I wonder what Jeb wants?"

"He wants to talk to you…he wants you to make him a promise."

"A promise?"

"You must promise all of us. But first…" Melanie picked up the small platter and held it out to her sister.

"Melanie? Aren't you going to eat this egg like you said?"

"Nope."

"Oh. I thought you wanted it. Jamie? Last devilled egg?"

"No thank you Wanderer."

"That last one is for you," Ian said.

"Me?"

"Wanda…here's your next human lesson. Your happiness is just as important as mine or Jamie's or the boys'. Your needs are not one bit less important. Stop, stop, stop surrendering all your needs, your loves, your desires for everyone else. Let yourself be happy, too. You are worth way more that a devilled egg. Give yourself permission to be…I guess selfish…occasionally…is the right way to say this. Just let yourself be a little more your own best friend."

"Hear hear," Ian said.

"What she said. That's my girlfriend…" finished Jared.

Melanie motioned again to the platter. "I got three…Jamie ate at least four. The boys here ate what—5 each..?"

Ian chimed in: "I had six. Jared?"

"I refuse to answer cuz it will make me sound like a pig. But it was more than Ian…" confessed Jared, blushing like Wanda for a change.

"Wanderer..?"

"I ate… one…"

"Do you like devilled eggs?"

"Oh Melanie-they are delicious! I must ask Trudy how she makes them."

"Eat the dammed egg already. Wanda—this is what we have wanted to tell you since you scared the crap out of all of us. Part of being human is to have some self preservation. And being able to give yourself permission to be selfish sometimes—to put yourself first…"

"But don't you all sacrifice for each other? Take risks and burdens away from each other? Love is what keeps me here…love is what makes you do all those things that put others first. I am the way I am because of my love for all of you…"

"Well…love is part of being human too. So…remember to love yourself as much as you love us…as much as we love you…" Jamie said.

"I will try. I may not change overnight…but I will try."

It was Jared's turn to speak: "Just understand this honey. If you ever try anything like that stunt with Doc ever again…"

"We will have to seriously kick your butt…" Jamie interrupted.

"Make you do the laundry forever…" said Melanie, "…with cactus soap."

"No more devilled eggs…no more Cheetos…" said Ian.

"Sleep without Ian…" from Jerad again.

"Hey now! That's punishing ME!" Ian cried eyes wide.

"Sister? Wanderer?" The tone of the conversation had gone in a heartbeat from silly and teasing to deadly serious. The boys and Wanda's former host were all but holding their breath.

"Melanie? My sister?"

"Do not darken my Universe by leaving it. You will not die…you will not go off to some other world. You won't leave us…Do not even THINK about it—ever again." Melanie leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her sister's forehead. "Please…promise me. Promise all of us…you will keep our family complete."

Though crying and barely able to speak through all the emotion that was making her heart soar she was able to whisper, "_I promise…"_

Ian gathered his partner in his arms and held her tightly as everyone had a few moments to have a good, old-fashioned, emotional, human cry. It would all be alright. Wanda had promised to stay with them. And Wanda never broke her promises…indeed it had all started with her taking up Melanie's promise—the very same one…not to leave her family- and making it her own.

Jared was the first to run his sleeve over his damp eyes and speak up. "Now that the girl stuff and the crying is all over with…Wanda? What would you like from us? Let us give you something for a change…"

"I…"

He pressed on. "Come on kid…live a little…what do YOU want..?"

"I want a…kiss from all of you." Her family quickly delivered. Then Melanie took over. "That was easy…c'mon…what else can we give you...?"

"I would like Jamie to let me borrow his book when he's done reading it…"

"Not a problem…" he said.

"Can I have…please…a bag of Cheetos?"

"I would be happy to go to the pantry tunnel and get them myself," said Mel.

"Ian? Would you sing me to sleep tonight..?"

"Honey…I will gladly sing you to sleep any night you let me…done. Anything else?"

Wanda wiped away the tears in her eyes and nodded.

Then, a smile on her face, her Soul-glowing eyes twinkling, she ate the last devilled egg. Not only was it lovingly given to her by her family…it was the human thing to do…


End file.
